Central Thailand

Central Region ภาคกลาง
Region
From upper-left to lower-right: Lumphini Park; Wat Chaiwatthanaram; Fishing, Bueng Boraphet; Wat Mahathat Sukhothai Historical Park; Khao Kho National Park
Central Region in Thailand
Largest city	Bangkok
Provinces	21 Provinces 1 Special administrative area Bangkok Nakhon Pathom Province Nonthaburi Province Pathum Thani Province Samut Prakan Province Samut Sakhon Province Samut Songkhram Province Kamphaeng Phet Province Nakhon Sawan Province Phetchabun Province Phichit Province Phitsanulok Province Sukhothai Province Uthai Thani Province Ang Thong Province Ayutthaya Province Chai Nat Province Lopburi Province Nakhon Nayok Province Saraburi Province Sing Buri Province Suphanburi Province
Area
• Total	91,798.64 km2 (35,443.65 sq mi)
Population  (2015)
• Total	20,183,134
• Density	220/km2 (570/sq mi)
Language	Thai • others

Central Thailand (central plain) is one of the regions of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. It is separated from northeast Thailand (Isan) by the Phetchabun mountain range. The Tenasserim Hills separate it from Myanmar to the west. In the north it is bounded by the Phi Pan Nam Range, one of the hilly systems of northern Thailand. The area was the heartland of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (at times referred to as Siam), and is still the dominant area of Thailand, containing as it does, the world's most primate city, Bangkok.

Definition

The grouping of Thai provinces into regions follow two major systems, in which Thailand is divided into either four or six regions. In the six-region system, commonly used in geographical studies, central Thailand extends from Sukhothai and Phitsanulok Provinces in the north to the provinces bordering the Gulf of Thailand in the south, excluding the mountainous provinces bordering Myanmar to the west and the coastal provinces of the east. The four-region system includes provinces only as far north as Chai Nat, Sing Buri, and Lopburi, and extends west and east to the borders of Myanmar and Cambodia.

Administrative divisions

The central region is divided into 22 provinces, which includes the following:

• Greater Bangkok: Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram

• North Central Thailand region: Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Uthai Thani

• South Central Thailand region: Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Chainat, Lopburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, Sing Buri; Suphanburi

Central Thailand, as defined by the four-region system, is divided into 26 provinces. Especially for statistical purposes these are divided into four groups:

• Greater Bangkok: Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon
• Sub-Central Thailand region: Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Chainat, Lopburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, Sing Buri
• Western Thailand region: Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Suphanburi
• Eastern Thailand region: Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachinburi, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, Trat

The eastern region is sometimes listed as a separate region distinct from central Thailand – sometimes only the four coastal provinces, sometimes the above list excluding Nakhon Nayok. None of these regions are political subdivisions, they are only geographical or statistical groupings.

External links

• Central (Thailand) travel guide from Wikivoyage